


The Wardens

by aureliu_s



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Something New, go me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-27
Updated: 2017-07-27
Packaged: 2018-12-07 17:03:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11627952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aureliu_s/pseuds/aureliu_s
Summary: The Inquisition catches up with Warden Alistair, tucked away in rainy Crestwood. A message on a familiar raven arrives.





	The Wardens

**Author's Note:**

> Hey friends, just a little drabble. I have another Alistair thing going but I also have a cool Skyrim thing in the wings. Hopefully I'll finish that and post soon; otherwise, enjoy.

The moment he heard it, he looked up. The screeching _caw_ - _caw_ of the messenger crow. He emerged from the mouth of the cave and lifted his arm to it, very much aware of the puzzled gazes from his visitors.

  
Clawed feet landed on his forearm and the bird screeched right in his ear, lifting its foot to reveal the small leather container tied between its feet. The container was just nearly as long as his middle finger and carried an even longer, rolled up piece of paper inside.

  
He situated himself on a damp rock nearby and popped open the container, oblivious to the footsteps coming his way. After much struggle, with the bird flapping ferociously and screaming into his ear, he extracted the paper and flung his arm with a little mutter of annoyance. The bird's aggressive _caw-caw_ landed a feet feet away, pecking at the wet ground.  
"What is it?"  
The voice came from the Inquisitor, another human like him. Trevelyan, if he remembered her name. She had short brown hair and bluish-purplish eyes that stared intently at the miniature scroll between his fingertips.  
"A message," he replied. Alistair began to unravel the little paper with some difficulty before looking up at the Inquisitor.  
"From...her?"  
Alistair nodded.  
"Yes. Allow me just a minute to read it. You four can get a head start on the Western Approach." He gave a lifeless chuckle and peered down at the note. The Inquisitor walked away.

He drowned out their conversation with her words, examining the elegant curves of her handwriting, trying to conjure any picture he could of where she was right now. The note wasn't much different than the few he'd been receiving. Vague, relatively short. About her condition and the way her mission was going, how her leads were dissipating then appearing, with a final soft, quiet declaration of love and her name, signed.

"Look at him. The man is absolutely lovesick." Dorian groaned, leaning against his staff. Azriel Trevelyan sighed and shook her head.  
"I don't know whether or not we should leave," she muttered to her friends. Varric shrugged.  
"Maybe the Hero found something useful, maybe she can help us. It wouldn't hurt to stick around," he suggested.  
All four of them watched as Alistair ducked inside his cave again. A few moments later, he returned holding a small piece of paper in his fingers. He called to the bird and it flapped over, landing on his wrist.  
Azriel began to make her way over.

  
He tucked his message into the little leather container and capped it, murmuring a few words to the bird before letting it take off.  
"I take it that was from the Hero of Ferelden?" She asked as Alistair crossed his arms. He nodded. "Do you think...is there a possibility that she could help us?"  
Alistair stared until the bird was merely a dot before shaking his head.  
"No," he said plainly, "she left before any of this began, for her own mission. Something personal." He must've picked up on her inquisitive gaze. "We Wardens don't live very long. The Calling, the real one that I spoke of--before it went crazy--eventually it kills us." He aimlessly rolled a rock under his toe. "Thing is, when we killed the arch demon, we discovered that might not be as set in stone as we thought. So she's searching for a way to end the curse. For us both." He paused and kicked the rock away. "Maybe for us all."

Azriel nodded and leaned against the rocks.  
"The way you talk about her, I'm surprised you aren't together. You didn't go with her."  
"There was a discussion, believe me." He chuckled half-heartedly. "Someone had to look into the rumors about Corypheus. We didn't know what was involved at the time." He looked to the Inquisitor. "She was going to stay and help but, we had a lead that couldn't wait. When I'm done here," he nodded once, weakly, and then again to assure himself, "we'll be together again."  
He wasn't sure if he believed that.

"Is it even possible to stop the Calling?"  
Alastair cleared his throat, aware of the wetness on his eyes.  
"Grand Enchanter Fiona was once a Warden, I'm told, but had the taint completely drawn out of her. Another Warden named Avernus extended his life far beyond what should've been possible." He gave a shrug. "So we looked into it. That's when we heard the rumor that meant going deep into the West."  
"Just a rumor?"  
Alistair let his arms cross over his chest, armor shifting with him as he let his weight fall to one side. It obviously wasn't just a rumor anymore, with Haven destroyed and the birth of this Inquisition formalized.  
"It's not much. But we've done more with _less_."


End file.
